Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 23, 2026

Very few so-called major television phenomena have been as badly served by their home video releases as has Stranger Things, according to many diehard fans of the Netflix sensation. There have been manifest controversies through the years for any number of iconic series which matriculated to disc, including everything from original soundtrack offerings having been stripped due to licensing issues, incorrect framings, and shoddy video and/or audio merits, to name but a few, but in most cases, at least those releases were decently announced and made available to fans, and at least many (if admittedly not all) series with some questionable aspects to various releases got complete releases of those series (as in every season available on disc). As those who may have been collecting Stranger Things either on 1080 or 4K disc (or perhaps both, due to a questionable original release regimen) already know, just finding out about disc releases of this series was initially a bit of a challenge, and that was just the first of several obstacles fans have had to jump over through the years, including the fact that after the second season, Netflix more or less abandoned disc releases at all for the show. Netflix and Arrow Video have teamed to offer this new "complete series" set (available in either standalone 4K or 1080 resolutions, and in either deluxe or standard packaging for each, for a total of four releases) which attempts to ameliorate previous problems, including of course the fact that several seasons of the show have never been previously released on discs of any resolution.

Because both prior 1080 and 4K releases of the series have been pretty badly bungled on any number of levels according to a lot of diehard fans, I'm including links to previous reviews in chronological order below, so that those interested can kind of "recreate" the drama about the prior disc releases as it unfolded:

Stranger Things: Season 1 Blu-ray review (review: October 2017)

Stranger Things: Season 1 4K Blu-ray review (review: January 2018)

Stranger Things: Season 2 Blu-ray review (review: November 2018)

Stranger Things: Season 2 4K Blu-ray review (review: November 2018)

And that's it, ladies and germs. For probably head scratching reasons, after putting fans through the gauntlet of the badly rolled out first two seasons, Netflix just stopped releasing the series on disc, which considering what had gone before may have been a good thing. One way or the other, all five seasons of the series are now aggregated here.

So, anyway, the good news with regard to no previous individual seasons three through five having been released with reviews and plot summaries is that nothing much actually happened in those years. Joking aside, of course things actually get even more fraught starting with the third season, and there are both frighteningly perilous moments along with an occasional triumph or two, with my personal favorite being the wrap up to Winona Ryder's Joyce narrative, which in a way seems to personify the kind of grit and resilience that pretty much all of the core surviving characters display. I will say that for a series built upon so many "outlandish" premises and liberal doses of sci fi and/or horror, the finale builds to some of the most visceral emotional content I've experienced on television in many years. One way or the other, I'm assuming anyone interested in this set is actually more concerned with technical merits, supplements and packaging than plot summaries.

Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: This release does not include a 1080 presentation, so these screenshots are taken directly from the 4K UHD disc and downscaled to 1080 and SDR. Color space in particular is therefore not accurate. Because the only 1080 discs in this set are for bonus content, the 2K score above has been intentionally left blank. Screenshots 1 through 5 are from various seasons of the series. I've also uploaded hi res photos of the deluxe packaging in positions 6 through 10 for those who may be interested.

Stranger Things: The Complete Series is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Netflix and Arrow Video with HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfers in 2.00:1. I should state I never picked up the standalone 4K (ish?) releases from a few years ago, but I did stream the series in 4K and so my reactions to this presentation are based at least in part on comparisons to the quality of the streaming experience. Let's get the "old stuff" out of the way first in terms of disc releases, though, by saying that, yes, the first season has HDR / Dolby Vision, as do all subsequent seasons, and all of the palette issues Marty raised in the above linked review of the standalone 4K (SDR) release have been eliminated. While I'd probably argue starting with (maybe ironically, given the foregoing release "strategy") the third season the palette really begins to show off some of the nuances the HDR / Dolby Vision grades provide, the really amazing diverse design regimens that include everything from blood red to ice cold blues to desert yellows get spectacular renditions throughout the series in all five seasons. I frankly became even more aware of how prevalent yellow is as the series progresses in watching it again for purposes of this review, even though those aforementioned reds and blues are often what tend to be most remembered. Marty had a few passing qualms with detailing, especially in the first season, but I was struck repeatedly by the nuance in fine detail when practical sets and costumes (and, you know, actual humans) interact with some of the CGI, and in effects free sequences the detail levels are typically beyond reproach. Some of the most impressive moments (albeit perhaps because they came late in a total binge to rewatch the series) are in the fifth season, and the finale provides some absolutely gobsmacking visuals as various interdimensional battles play out. In "normal" gradings and more putatively realistic moments, the palette is absolutely natural looking and incredibly well suffused. The special effects sequences are of course more widely variant, but these new HDR / Dolby Vision grades provide eye popping visuals on a consistent basis.

Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

You have to give Netflix a little credit for having "answered" fans complaints with regard to the first standalone release of Season One, in that Season Two's standalone release at least upped the video ante with HDR and the audio ante with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. One might jokingly state that Netflix's learning curve has continued, since all five seasons here offer DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and seasons four and five get some amazingly immersive Dolby Atmos tracks. We'll just put the first season's original lossy audio aside, but moving on Marty had a few passing qualms on the second season's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, though to my ears some of the prioritization issues Marty mentions either have been ameliorated or simply didn't strike me as being as problematic. One way or the other, Marty points out that the at times seemingly ubiquitous source cues (which of course pervade more than simply the second season) provide just one clear example of both side and rear channel engagement, but also some nicely burnished midrange and low end. The low end definitely gets a workout in both the 5.1 and Atmos options with any number of huge spreading, wafting sound effects, especially some associated with the Upside Down. Incredible sweeping ambient effects (perhaps combined with synths?) also dot the sonic premises and help to establish immersion very impressively. The Atmos mixes on the fourth and fifth season offer several standout moments, with (for me) once again the finale offering some of the most powerful effects, especially during the climax, where sound erupts from all side and envelopes the listener. Dialogue is presented without any issues. Optional English subtitles are available.

Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: One of the, um, stranger things about this release is the use of different numbering regimens on the discs. The actual discs are numbered sequentially on their faces, so that, for example, the first disc in Season Two is "Disc Five". That said, when playing the discs, the thumbnails and other labeling data start over with each season. To hopefully make things clear, I've listed the season and the disc number within that season below.

Season One - Disc Four (1080)

• Blooper Reel (HD; 1:27)


• Interviews

The Duffer Brothers (HD; 5:46)




David Harbour (HD; 5:06)




Millie Bobby Brown (HD; 2:28)




Finn Wolfhard (HD; 2:36)




Gaten Matarazzo (HD; 2:59)




Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo & Caleb McLaughlin (HD; 3:25)




Shawn Levy (HD; 2:39)

• Image Galleries and Trailers

Official Trailer (HD; 2:26)




"Eleven" Teaser Trailer (HD; 00:50)




Behind the Scenes Image Gallery (HD)




Official Stills (HD)

Season Two - Disc Four (1080)

• Blooper Reel (HD; 2:03)


• Brazil Comic-Con Introduction (HD; 00:58)


• Featurettes

Behind the Scenes Featurette (HD; 2:06)




Millie Bobby Brown (HD; 3:55)




Noah Schnapp (HD; 4:10)




The Look (HD; 5:17) profiles production designer Chris Trujillo and other production artisans.

• Interviews

Andrew Stanton (HD; 4:35)




David Harbour (HD; 11:17)




Millie Bobby Brown (HD; 8:22)




Shawn Levy (HD; 5:09)

• Image Galleries

Behind the Scenes Image Gallery (HD)




Official Stills (HD)

Season Three - Disc Four (1080)

• Blooper Reel (HD; 3:55)


• Shot by Shot: Underground Fight (HD; 7:23) features a breakdown by Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery and Maya Hawke.


• Season 3 Table Read Featurette (HD; 1:25) is from April 2018.


• Interviews

Maya Hawke (HD; 10:06)




Dacre Montgomery (HD; 10:26)




Millie Bobby Brown (HD; 4:53)




David Harbour (HD; 20:57)




Gaten Matarazzo (HD; 5:51)




Caleb McLaughlin (HD; 3:40)




Natalia Dyer (HD; 10:56)




Charlie Heaton (HD; 7:45)




Noah Schnapp (HD; 4:54)

• Image Galleries

Behind the Scenes Image Gallery (HD)




Official Stills (HD)

Season Four - Disc Seven (1080)

• Blooper Reel (HD; 3:54)


• Beyond the Screen: Dungeons & Dragons (HD; 10:02) focuses on connections between that franchise and this one.


• Dungeons & Dragons: The Shocking Real History (HD; 6:10) offers some interesting background.


• Becoming Vecna (HD; 8:36) features Jamie Campbell Bower.


• Ending Explained - The Duffer Brothers (HD; 3:27) offers the Duffers explaining their so-called Empire Strikes Back season.


• Kiss, Marry, Kill? (HD; 2:01) is a Geeked quiz with cast members.


• Behind the FX (HD; 5:28)


• Geeked: Vol. 1 Unlocked Featurette (HD; 44:26) is the first of two episodes featuring Felicia Day.


• Geeked: Vol. 2 Unlocked Featurette (HD; 54:50)


• Image Galleries & Trailer

Trailer (HD; 1:14)




Official Stills (HD)




Behind the Scenes Image Gallery (HD)

Season Five - Disc Five (1080)

• Animatic Previs: MAC-Z Battle (HD; 10:55)


• Animatic Previs: The Rightside Up (HD; 10:15)


• Set Tour with Jamie Campbell Bower (HD; 8:31)


• MAC-Z Battle Set Tour (HD; 2:27)


• Chapter 4: Sorcerer Table Read (HD; 1:02:00)


• Stranger Scenes offers the Duffers and the cast discussing specific moments.

Will in the Upside Down (HD; 9:26)




Karen vs. Demogorgon (HD; 11:37)




The Rightside Up (HD; 18:56)

• Behind the Episodes offer production information.

Chapter One: The Crawl (HD; 14:29)




Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler (HD; 11:47)




Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap (HD; 12:05)




Chapter Four: Sorcerer (HD; 13:58)




Chapter Five: Shock Jock (HD; 10:46)




Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz (HD; 14:20)




Chapter Seven: The Bridge (HD; 13:33)




Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up (HD; 18:58)

• Cast Rewatches kind of reminded me of the many Behind the Couch featurettes on innumerable sets of Doctor Who.

Season 1 (HD; 17:28)




Season 2 (HD; 20:35)




Season 3 (HD; 15:16)




Season 4 (HD; 32:07)




Season 5 Vol. 1: Sadie Sink (HD; 4:26)




Season 5 Vol. 2: Sadie Sink & Maya Hawke (HD; 4:46)

• Image Galleries & Trailers

Date Announcement Trailer (HD; 1:53)




Vol. 1 Trailer (HD; 1:22)




Finale Trailer (HD; 1:27)




Vol. 1 Official Stills (HD)




Vol. 2 & Finale Official Stills (HD)




Behind the Scenes Image Gallery (HD)

The Deluxe Edition comes housed in a box that measures approximately 6 1/2" wide by 7 1/2" tall by 5 3/4" deep. An angled cover comes completely off the bottom to display the non disc swag and five keepcases. The first item on the left is a box that contains a Palace Arcade pin, a self adhesive Hellfire Club patch, a Scoops Ahoy loyalty card, two sheets of decals, a missing poster for Will, a Hellfire d20 die, a Stranger Things game role playing sheet, and 25 art cards from all five seasons. Next to the box are five folded double sided posters featuring original artwork by Kyle Lambert, along with a sixth folded double sided map of Hawkins. To the right of those is a perfect bound collectors' book with almost 150 pages of writing (including by the Duffers) and the usual assortment of photos and other imagery. Then the keepcases (all with reversible sleeves) are up, though kind of interestingly they feature different kinds of slipcovers. Season One sure seems to feel and look lenticular, but I couldn't get the image to change. Season Two is diecut. Season Four is a Mylar O ring, and Seasons Three and Five are relatively "normal". As can be seen in the first hi res photo of the packaging, the review box sent to me arrived damaged, and my sneaking hunch is others may experience similar cracking/peeling/denting.

Stranger Things: The Complete Series 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Based on the reader mail I started receiving months ago when this was initially announced, Stranger Things: The Complete Series seems to be one of the more hotly anticipated titles of 2026 (so far, at least). The good news is this interesting collaboration between Netflix and Arrow Video is offering fans secure technical merits, some fun on disc (if 1080) supplements, and packaging swag that certainly lives up to that "deluxe" moniker. Budget conscious fans will probably want to opt for the at least slightly less expensive Standard Edition, but for those with deep pockets (deep enough to reach the Upside Down?), this set comes Highly recommended.